Aobo Wang has been selected as a ShopColumbia EXPO CHICAGO 2017 artist to represent Columbia College Chicago. We asked Aobo a few questions about her work and presenting this year at EXPO CHICAGO.

Give us an update about recent projects/artistic life events.

I just moved to NYC and now I've been working on fashion photo and freelance design work. Recently, I've been featured in Columbia College Chicago’s Hokin Honors Exhibition at the Hokin Gallery and was the recipient of the senior class award for “audience’s choice” work.

What will you be presenting at EXPO CHICAGO 2017?

I am presenting some wish and hope at EXPO.

From my fashion/fine art photo work “flower demon”, where I inspired by “Liao Zhai Zhi Yi”, a Chinese traditional novel written in Qing Dynasty. Based on Chinese traditional mythology, with modern urban culture and natural environment, I want to bring a young era throughout the long history of art, and hopefully beyond a sort of simple visual records.

For my design work “never stop ____”. You know there are so many possibilities in life, this piece is a form of hope, I wish viewers could lead this piece further.

What inspired you to create this series of work?

Life is my inspiration; I love traditional Chinese philosophy and culture, that’s where my root is. I also love what I see here in west. I would like to show a contradictory yet harmonious work. This is when Eastern meets Western, it’s neither mainstream nor anti-mainstream; it’s the past, the present, and the future; it’s kitsch and elegant; it’s conflict and unified. This is all achieved through a combination from ancient Chinese culture and modern Western techniques. I am looking forward to collecting all the elements together and making them into one wish, a wish for hope and joy.

In what ways do you think you will benefit as a professional artist from EXPO CHICAGO 2017?

On the shoulders of a giant may see farther than a giant. I am looking forward to seeing all kinds of great works in EXPO from all over the world, not only as someone to go check the EXPO out but actually participating makes me very excited.

Artist Statement

Wang Aobo is a New York based visual artist and photographer.

To me, design and photo are my magical glasses; it takes me to a new world of viewing life. I am a girl without country or state. Life is my inspiration; I love traditional Chinese philosophy and culture. I would like to show a contradictory yet harmonious work. This is when Eastern meets Western, it’s neither mainstream nor anti-mainstream; it’s the past, the present, and the future; it’s kitsch and elegant; it’s conflict and unified. This is all achieved through a combination from ancient Chinese culture and modern Western techniques. I am looking forward to collecting all the elements together and making them into one wish, a wish for hope and joy.

Project Statement

"Flower Demon"

This is a collaborated piece with Designer QiLe. Flower demons are similar to sirens and evil fairies. The enchanters draw people with their flashy looks and charisma. In "Strange Tales of Liaozhai", the author emphasizes the foundational elements of the attitudes behind the flower demons’ physical appearances. They not only seduce. While creating restless and endless thoughts, they are also addictive. When indulging obsessions with flower demons, people also need to be guarded and alerted to come close. In a way, flower demons are neither good nor evil. By adding flawed aesthetic elements in our design and shoot, we are trying to deliver the restlessness and illusion, lust and violence at the same time through the image that we create.